With St. Patrick's Day a day away, and spring just four days away, much of New Jersey will get a coating of snow overnight, according to the National Weather Service.

The most severe snow will fall in the south, with Cape May getting up to 4 inches, said Patrick O'Hara, a meteorologist with NWS. The southern part of the state will see 1 to 3 inches, central will get around 1 inch, and up north it will be closer a half-inch.

Temperatures at the beginning of the week are unusually cold for March, O'Hara said. Highs will hang in the high 30s today, then drop into the 20s overnight, which will facilitate the storm.

Snow will begin to fall after dark and persist through Monday morning. A winter weather advisory for South Jersey runs from 8 p.m. today to noon Monday.

"The good thing about it is that once the sun comes out, whatever snow fell won't last very long," O'Hara said.

Temperatures will gradually warm over the week, with temperatures in the 40s on Tuesday and Wednesday, and Thursday and Friday will bring sunny skies and temperatures in the mid 50s.